The kids are almost done with school and we’re all getting excited about summer vacation. As a result, I’m going to be taking a summer hiatus from The Waffler. But don’t worry — I won’t be taking a break from waffling. I’ll store up all of my waffles and share them with you this upcoming school year.

Like this:

Remember when Fo from drawn{2}style was waffling between the Celine Luggage Tote and the Celine Trapeze Bag? An overwhelming 81% of voters preferred the Luggage Tote over the Trapeze Bag. Fo agreed. Here she is to explain:

Here’s my photo of the Celine tote I purchased. As you know, I had been debating this purchase for a while and thanks to assurances from your readers, I took the plunge while Barney’s NY was running a promotion. I’m still in awe and will be admiring its newness for sometime before breaking it out. Thanks for all your help with my waffle!

A few weeks ago Chessie and her husband Robert were having a difficult time choosing an exterior paint color for their house.

Chessie’s House

They were deciding between yellow, green and blue (see the bottom three colors in the picture below).

60% of voters encouraged Chessie and Robert to go for the blue, while 20% liked the yellow and 20% chose green. Although Chessie likes the color blue, she couldn’t get past the idea that blue is a bit tacky for a house color. Instead, they are going for the Louisburg Green. Painting starts at the end of this week — good luck, guys!

Oh, and in case you’re interested in whether Chessie and Robert are going to add panels to the front of their house, here’s what Chessie had to say on the topic:

We aren’t going with the panels per se but we are boxing the front to give it some definition…I will definitely send a picture!

Last week I posted a waffle for Stacey (you can read it here), who was wondering whether $2300 was too much to pay for this Surya Harlequin rug (she photoshopped it into a picture of her living room).

Based on the feedback she received, Stacey has decided that the Surya is indeed too expensive. Now she has found a West Elm rug that she thinks might do the trick. Here she is to explain:

Thanks for all your input on the Surya Harlequin rug. I have found another rug that I like – the Lourdes Sanchez Swirl Rug — but I am not familiar with West Elm or the quality of their products. It is $679 for a 9×12 as compared to $2000 for the Surya one. It’s clearly more casual, which I’m okay with, but do y’all recommend West Elm rugs? Is the quality good even though the price is great? Thanks!

Here are some pics of the Swirl Rug:

West Elm

West Elm

So what do you think, Waffler readers? Can anyone speak to the quality of West Elm rugs? And what do you think of the style?

Like this:

I snapped these pictures of carriage houses a few months back on a trip to Cambridge, MA. As their name implies, carriage houses were the structures — some quite beautiful — used to house horse drawn carriages. Modernized and renovated, many carriage houses are now the place where people call home.

Here’s one of my favorites.

The house to the right is where the family who owned the carriage house lived.

I love the arched wood door.

This one has been given quite the modern exterior.

I wonder how many carriages could fit in this one…

Have you ever been inside a converted carriage house? Would you like to live in one of the ones above?

PS — If you want to pin any of the above images to your Pinterest boards go ahead — you have my permission.

Do you have an idea for a no-waffle, fantasy waffle or just a regular old waffle? Click here to find out more about waffles or on the button below to contact me and get started.

Like this:

This brown couch has been in my parent’s living room for as long as I can remember. And for as long as I can remember, my mother has been waffling about what color fabric to reupholster it in. Rarely have I been home for a visit when there wasn’t a fabric swatch or two lying on the couch just waiting to be analyzed. I’ve tried to help her decide, but it’s kind of a case of the blind leading the blind, or the waffler leading the waffler, so to speak.

I’ll let my mother explain her dilemma:

My grandmother’s couch was last upholstered about 1958. It has been much loved but really needs refreshing. It will sit next to a red velvet Victorian lady’s slipper chair and across from an easy chair upholstered in a gold weave, all on a multicolored kilim rug. I’m most attracted to the “earth” velvet but the color is fairly similar to what’s on it now. Should I go for something completely different or stick with what I know works with the room?

Here’s the color “Earth” fabric that is most similar to what is currently on the couch:

Trend

She’s also considering the darker “Molasses” color:

Trend

Mom is willing to consider something completely different, like this “Garden” color:

Trend

Or something in a dark tone, like “Steel”:

Trend

Or even darker, like “Graphite”:

Trend

So what do you think — should my mom choose a fabric similar to what is currently on the couch or go for something different?

Like this:

There are a lot of area rugs available for sale on the web. I mean a lot of area rugs. I know this because a few years ago I spent so much time searching on-line for the perfect rug that I thought my eyes would start bleeding. So I’m really feeling for Stacey. She’s finally found a great area rug — see the pic above — but it’s pricey.

I’ll let Stacey fill you in on the details:

Here’s a photoshop mockup of my current living room. The couch, loveseat and tables will be replaced by the Thomasville Highlife 3 seat sofa in navy, two chairs similar to the one photoshopped in there but maybe more yellow or a gray one, and there will be new tables.

The dilemma is the rug. I really like it but do y’all think $2300ish is too much to pay for a 9 x 12 area rug?

What do you think Waffler readers? Lots of people expect to invest a hunk of change in a couch…what about a rug?

Like this:

Remember Jenn from Jenn Dot Com? She was waffling about whether to cut her hair short into an angled bob or grow it out in longer layers. 62% of voters encouraged Jenn to cut her hair short while 38% wanted her to grow it out. Here’s what Jenn said when I asked her what she decided:

Perfect timing as I just booked a hair appt for this Saturday! I’m going for the angled look and will defer to my stylist to make it suit my face/hair texture. I’m too impatient to grow it any longer and I think a shorter ‘do would be fun for the spring/summer.

I’d be happy to send an after photo for you. Here’s hoping it doesn’t turn into a cut from hell 😉

Jayson Home

When I polled readers about their opinions about caged lighting 52% of voters praised this trend, while 26% dislike it and 22% can take it or leave it. If you didn’t get a chance to vote on caged lighting, what do you think — would you want it in your house?